The Diverse Adventures of Remus and Tonks
by Carnivalgirl
Summary: Not one story, but many short ones. They're in no order, and they don't combine, but they've got three things in common: Remus, Tonks and their love for one another. RLNT.
1. Cakes and Ale

**A/N: **OK, this needs a big long note. This April, I participated in Livejournal's rtchallenge community, which had a prompt of a word, quote or picture for each day in April. I did all 30, and I will be posting the vast majority of them here (some of them suck). Just to save you confusion, they follow no logical order, besides the days they were written on. I hope you enjoy them, all the same!

"_Dost thou think that because thou art virtuous that there shall be no more cakes and ale?"_

It was a glorious Saturday night in the middle of summer, and Remus Lupin was indoors, reading the newspaper. There were quite interesting articles in the Quibbler even if they were nonsense, and the cocoa was nice, but Remus couldn't help wishing, just a little bit, that he was with Tonks at the party.

Nymphadora had been invited to a garden party hosted by her beloved Aunt Narcissa. Although the two were far from close, Narcissa had apparently insisted that she attend because of "family principles". This statement wasn't at all comforting, but Tonks thought it could be OK, even if Remus wasn't going to be coming with her. Remus had not been invited, partly because he wasn't really a family member, and partly because the Blacks had a common familial grudge against anyone with the surname Lupin. It had been his dad's fault. The man just _had _to protest when he and Remus's mother had proudly marched their son up to the steps of 12 Grimmauld Place, only for Mr Black to offer them some bread crusts if they didn't come back again.

Remus was contemplating how much he had sulked after that incident when sparks appeared in the fire, and a large shape was rotating inside. Remus leaned forward to see 'Nym' emerge from the flames, looking flustered but cheerful.

"That was quick." Remus remarked. She had only been gone for fifteen minutes. "Good party, was it?"

"She chucked me out!" Tonks grinned. "Or rather, Draco did. Little git hasn't liked me since I…er…put worms down his back. I was ten, he was four…anyway, he told me that my offerings were _not suitable to people of their social standing._"

Remus was aware that each guest had been asked to bring some sort of food or drink (preferably both), and Tonks's choice, in hindsight, was bound to be rejected by such as the Malfoys. People of their honourable status just didn't touch that stuff.

"He then had the ruddy cheek to say I'd been spending too much time with you. That brat. I should have brought some spaghetti with me for him. With _meatballs._"

Remus laughed, thinking of Malfoy's childish comments to him all those years ago. He couldn't help feeling a pang of guilt about Nym's rejection, though. They were living an impoverished life, what with him being unemployed and Tonks's pay check being cut by Rufus Scrimgeour to the point that it was only slightly better than no job at all. He knew Tonks's choice demonstrated how well she was adapted to her new lifestyle, and he was glad of that, but he knew she was missing out on a lot.

"Still!" she said, throwing herself down on the sofa and wrapping her arms round Remus's waist. "I'm happy to be home with you…Draco would probably mention you somewhere and I'd be screwed all night."

"_Screwed?" _Remus asked, alarmed. Tonks smiled and nudged him in the ribs.

"Screwed as in _dirty look, _not screwed as in the other meaning, because I wouldn't be bothered about having that all night. Dirty slang aside…what are we gonna do with this stuff?"

Remus rolled his eyes. "We are going to play ice hockey with it, Tonks. As you do."

Tonks mock-frowned at him and Summoned the food and drink towards herself and Remus. He then got out his wand and made a rather neat set up for them, using a tea towel, several plates, and two champagne glasses Tonks had run off with after they'd spent a night in a luxury hotel one time.

"Not bad for the poor." she remarked. Remus nodded, and they tucked in together, talking and laughing like they would at any fancy party.

"If there's one thing I love about being poor," Tonks said, "it's that you're never _too_ _special _for anything!"

"Especially," Remus added as he raised his glass to toast her, "bright pink fairy cakes and Spicy Ginger Ale."


	2. Crosswords and Chocolates

**A/N: **Two stories here! They were both too short for the 500 word limit. Also, both of them are post-war...not the most precise timing, I know. The first one is quite shortly after the war, and the second, if you can't tell, is quite a while after. It's also quite AU. I'm sorry if you get confused, but I don't want to be thwapped by the FF moderators, wherever they are...

"_If we had no winter, the spring would not be so pleasant; if we did not sometimes taste of adversity, prosperity would not be so welcome." Anne Bradstreet_

Tonks didn't much like to gloat, but it seemed worth it now. After yet another photo shoot, she and Remus were sitting together, drinking coffee, as they did every Sunday morning.

They had another routine on Sunday as well, which involved completing the puzzles in the Daily Prophet together. It was humdrum most of the time, but it was a good way to exercise the brain, and they usually found out something about each other in the process. For example, Tonks knew that kangaroos couldn't jump backwards, and Remus knew that a Sudoku was some kind of number logic puzzle. He liked them a lot; but Tonks insisted they'd never catch on.

And so, three weeks ago, they completed a crossword together. They didn't know, however, that the prize for completing it was 100 Galleons.

The newspapers had been fascinated with their sudden gain of fortune, and Remus and Tonks had become minor celebrities overnight. Something about a werewolf who taught at Hogwarts and his Metamorphmagus wife appealed to the public. In Remus's case, it was literally a rags-to-riches story, as this was the state that his clothes had been in. They had been asked time and again to tell their story, to talk about their life together and how the money would change it, but it never got boring.

What Tonks liked most about the publicity was not the money, it was the fact that she could do what she'd always wanted to do; stick it to all the people who had prejudices against werewolves, against the poor, against their relationship. Publicly. And with the addition of more newspapers, radio programmes and various other media outlets, she could throw their prejudices back in their faces again and again. Two years ago, this could not have meant what it did now, it'd just be a bit of good luck.

But now, after all they'd been through, winning this simple crossword was a life-fulfilling experience.

* * *

It was a Wednesday morning, and the pupils of SS. Geraldo and Lucy's Primary School, Gloucester, were going on a trip to a chocolate factory. Tragically, one of the school's biggest chocolate fiends, Alastor Lupin, could not go because he forgot to hand in his permission slip before all the places were filled. Because there were only a couple of children who weren't going on the trip, Alastor got to stay at home with his mummy and dad. He would have been happy about this, but there was no way Mummy and Dad were as exciting as a chocolate factory.

Because he had been so sulky and sad this morning, Mummy and Dad were taking him to the corner shop to buy a bar of chocolate, and a magazine to read. Though this wasn't particularly satisfying, it might help to take his mind off of the trip. Alastor had raced ahead of Mummy and Dad, who were talking and holding hands and generally being boring, slow grown-ups, when he came to his school.

He pressed his face against the fence, staring at the group of children that was gathering outside. He could vaguely see the face of his least favourite teacher noticing him from a distance, and Alastor couldn't quite help himself.

He pulled at his cheeks and he rolled his eyes and put his teeth over his lips and did a little jig and generally tried to look as strange as possible. When Mummy and Dad walked towards him, they had puzzled looks on their faces.

"Alastor, what _are _you doing?" Mummy asked.

"I'm making funny faces at Sir."

"Oh, Alastor." Dad said, sounding like he was trying not to laugh. "Just because you're out of school…"

"But Dad! Mr Snape's _always _mean to me! He _always _tells me off and he _always _says that I'm naughty and, and he says I should stop acting like an animal! I don't like him, he's a mean poo-head and I reckon he doesn't brush his teeth even though the Dentist Lady said that you must _always _brush your teeth or they'll get _holes _in and they'll _hurt._"

Alastor didn't understand the expressions on Mummy and Dad's faces, but they were staring at each other. He wondered if they were going to act soppy for a moment.

"You don't think it's him, do you, Remus?"

"You can't arrest him, Nym. Well, I don't know, the law's fairly complicated but as far as I know…"

"Yes, but…we can make faces at him, can't we?" asked Mummy.

Dad looked shocked. "Nymphadora! We…we couldn't possibly! We'll be sent to sit in the naughty chair!"

"Your Muggle primary school had a _naughty chair_?"

"No, my mum had a naughty chair. She educated me at home, you know."

Mummy laughed, but then looked at Daddy like Alastor looked at them when his friend Phillip Weasley told him about Legoland.

"Oh, allright, Nymphadora. But if we have to write 'We are thirty and forty-three years old, not three and five' a hundred times on a blackboard, I blame you."

"Allright, Alastor." said Mummy, clapping her hands together. "Face-making is an _art. _I should know. Watch, and learn."

Mummy pulled some really good faces, and Alastor couldn't stop laughing. He tried to copy her, but because he wasn't a Metamorphamagicus like her he couldn't do it so well. Dad was laughing and watching them. He didn't want to make faces because he was old and boring, but he did wave at Mr Snape without stopping with a huge grin on his face. He looked a bit silly, which was also really funny because Mr Snape always said that Alastor was being silly.

As the hook-nosed Science teacher walked out of the school gates, the Lupin family grinned and waved at him.

"Friends of yours, Severus?" asked one of the staff.

"No," said Mr Snape, who felt his blood pressure slowly rising. "No, definitely not."


	3. A Year in the Life

_**Cards**_

January

**Remus,**

**HAPPY NEW YEAR! **

**I hope it shall be filled with lots of chocolate, sunshine, babies and love.**

**Love and snogs,**

**Tonks**

_Nym,_

_If you're still sober enough to understand this, I hope we have another glorious and happy new year together, and that each of our new years together are as good as this last one. _

_Fancy ringing it in in style? _

_See you after midnight,_

_Remus XX_

February

**Remus,**

**Happy Valentines Day, you sexy stud muffin. **

**You turn me on every time I look at you, and I just can't help but stare through your clothes once in a while. **

**You have a very nice body, and being a scarred one myself, they certainly don't put me off.**

**Love, **

**PS. CONSTANT VIGILANCE!**

_Nym,_

_Roses are red,_

_Rafflesias are rank,_

_I'm a Marauder,_

_You call that a prank?_

_Remus_

_PS. I love you, even if you do scar me for life…oh, god, here come those images again…_

March

**Remus,**

**Have a wonderful birthday, my furry little problem.**

**I hope you get your birthday wish, whatever it may be.**

**Love,**

**Tonks**

**PS. Follow the trail of pink paw prints to get your surprise. **

April

**Remus,**

**Happy Easter, **

**This card does not contain chocolate nor is it made of chocolate so stop trying to eat it.**

**There's a good werewolf.**

**Love,**

**Tonks**

_Nym,_

_Have fun celebrating the day of chocolate...er... Jesus's resurrection. Be sure to remember it in your heart, because I need someone to remind me of these things if I get carried away. I'm joking, of course. _

_Have a fun Easter,_

_Remus X_

May

_Nym,_

_Have an absolutely wonderful year of being 26. I love you, and I hope you get everything you want in the world._

_I couldn't fit a racing broom into the envelope, some here's something small and shiny to keep you occupied while you're waiting._

_Lots of love,_

_Remus_

October

**Remus,**

**I know this is an upsetting day for you and so I'm not going to talk to you much today. I want to let you know, however, that if you feel like a shoulder to cry on, or someone to hit very hard with a pillow, or just someone to talk to, I'll be there whenever you need me.**

**Nymphadora**

November

_Tonks,_

_I've heard you're feeling under the weather._

_Maybe this silly, girly, gossipy witch magazine that was very embarrassing for me to buy... entertaining supplement, even, will put you back…er…on top of the weather again. _

_Get well soon,_

_Remus_

December

**Remus,**

**On the first day of Christmas, my Remus gave to me,**

**A shiny new Firebolt 3, (Hint, hint)**

**On the second day of Christmas, Remmy's surprise will be,**

**That next year they'll be a new ba…**

**Yuletide Greetings,**

**Tonks**

_Tonks,_

_I thought Christmas couldn't get any more cheesy or wonderful, but that little rhyme of yours just took the Christmas pudding. (Don't worry, we've still got the brandy butter...oh wait no! You can't have any!)._

_Merry Christmas to the woman who outshines the Christmas lights._

_Love, _

_Remus_


	4. Clues

It was a beautiful summer's morning, and Nymphadora Tonks had just woken up. She knew from the unusual quiet that she was one of the only ones in the house today. Sirius was probably still asleep, but a lot of the others had gone on a mission last night and planned to feedback in the afternoon. They had probably chosen to go home; it was the best place for recovery. Grimmauld Place at night didn't exactly make one feel at rest after a hard day's work, but Tonks was beginning to like the spooky old mansion.

It was the kind of place you'd expect something exciting to happen in. Well, there was a secret organisation of wizards and witches based there, which was quite exciting, but Tonks's imagination leaned more towards the…macabre. She saw before her a mishmash of objects, all scatted randomly and looking like they'd been recently left. They were her clues, and this was her crime scene.

There was a glitter from somewhere at the corner of her eye, and she spotted a piece of tin foil glinting in the sunlight. It had been handled earnestly, for there were lots of creases in it and a big tear almost all the way down the middle. She picked it up, and fighting temptation not to admire its shiny properties like a curious toddler, she decided that a detective should know how to use all of their senses.

She sniffed the wrapping and inhaled its scent deeply.

"Chocolate." she said. "Dark, if I'm not mistaken. Honeydukes, top shelf, 6 sickles. 250 grammes." She didn't really know all that information, but it was fun to pretend she did. It was definitely chocolate, that she could tell for sure.

Her second clue was far more difficult to spot. It was like searching for a needle in a haystack, except this was a needle in a pile of torn clothing. Remembering to use all her senses (without looking like someone who thought they were a bloodhound, of course), she noted that the clothes smelt fresh, as if they had been recently cleaned.

"Molly Weasley's soap powder." she noted, expertly.

Though these clothes had no doubt been scrubbed hard by the mother of the Order, there was no hiding the stains that liberally streaked the fabric. Blood stains.

"A murderer!" Tonks cried, and then got a grip on herself. There was probably a reasonable explanation, however, there was not enough evidence to suggest that she was not dealing with death by chocolate.

Smirking to herself, Tonks noticed a green book lying open over one of the armchairs. It was plain on the covers, and the spine had something written in French in gold lettering. The book looked as if it had been abandoned in a hurry, but it was more important, Tonks knew, to get to know her man's motives…find out what made him tick, what interested him. If she weren't so hopeless at languages, she thought miserably, she could have him by now.

She did know, or maybe it was just wishful thinking that the chocolate connection was still going. After all, France wasn't the only country that spoke French. There was also…Belgium.

She wandered around, bright pink slippers gently scuffing the wooden floor. She noticed a folded bit of parchment that she was about to tread on, and picked it up. Her final clue, and it was a blank bit of parchment that clearly had some purpose. There was no way that any normal person would bother to fold it so intricately and so sophisticatedly without some purpose in mind. Clearly, there was a message on it in invisible ink.

Finally, she had him. The fiend's identity was to be revealed, his mask to be ripped off, his hands to be caught red. She didn't know what his crime was, but thinking seriously would ruin the game. She pulled out her wand deftly, in a proud, definitive sort of way.

"Reveal your secrets". She asked the parchment, and to her delight, green ink began to snake over it.

_Mr Padfoot thinks this is a decent prank, but ingenuity got confused with engineering and no one's left the station. _

"Eh?" Tonks pondered.

_Mr Prongs disagrees with Mr Padfoot, and says that Nymphadora Tonks probably really is that stupid._

Tonks gasped indignantly, but she was curious all the same.

_Mr Wormtail would like to add that if Nymphadora Tonks had another brain, it'd be lonely. _

"Wormtail", Tonks said to herself. "Where have I heard that before?"

_Mr Moony would like to conclude that Nymphadora Tonks ought to give up the fish. They aren't improving her brain, and her breath is awful._

"Mr Moony, if you had breath, I'd knock it out of you." Tonks mock-threatened the map, feeling silly. Her little escapade had been a bit of a waste…but there was still a mystery at hand. Who had left the clues behind? Who were the mysterious Messrs. Padfoot, Prongs, Wormtail and Moony?

Suddenly, the door swung open and Sirius appeared in the doorway.

"Morning." he said, flashing her a quick smile.

"Morning." she said. "You seem happy today."

"Oh, yeah…one of my friends was here last night."

He looked at Tonks's 'clues', and she suddenly felt slightly childish for her little game earlier. Though she had been quite the sleuth, she was proud to think.

"Remus seems to have made himself at home a bit…good thing." Sirius muttered, picking up the tin foil and grinning.

"Remus?" Tonks asked.

"Oh, yeah. Remus Lupin…he was one of my friends at Hogwarts. He still is one of my best friends, even now. He's still as obsessed with chocolate now as he was when he was eleven. Have you not met him?

"No…" Tonks said. "But he does sound very interesting to me."

"Oh, yeah, he's dead nice, you'd get along great." Sirius said, vaguely. "Want some breakfast?"

Tonks followed him into the kitchen, still considering her mystery man.


	5. Gardens

_Grass_

"I love being outdoors, you know." Remus Lupin said to Tonks, as they sat together under the shade of a nearby tree.

"Me too…" Tonks agreed, wiggling her feet in the grass.

"You have a huge garden, by the way." he told her.

"I know. That's the third time you've told me that." she said, sympathetically.

It was true, of course. Andromeda and Ted Tonks had an enormous garden. It was perfect in almost every way. There was a vegetable patch if you felt like being practical, beautiful flowers to smell, a huge pile of dead plants to set fire to occasionally, and a huge, green lawn. There was also a climbing frame with slide that Tonks had spent many hours playing on as a child. She assumed her parents were keeping it for sentimental reasons (Tonks personally couldn't stand the idea of her favourite slide lying broken in a dump) but they were secretly saving it for their grandchildren, if they ever got any.

"This garden holds many memories for me." Tonks told her partner. "I spent half my childhood outdoors. I loved, or rather love, I guess, everything about it. See the flowers?"

Remus nodded. "I suppose you used to pick them for the dining table, or something?"

"Actually I used to tear them apart. It was fun. I would have eaten them, too, but I was a bit scared of being poisoned. I had a climbing frame, too. That was fun. I remember how I used to go up there and think about stuff."

"Really?"

"Yeah…then I'd get stuck in it, or the thing would start creaking, and I'd realise that was ten years too old for it."

Remus laughed, and looked around at Tonks's beautiful, happy garden again. His parents had a nice garden, too…

"I wasn't allowed outside." Remus said sadly. "Not even in the garden, much. The neighbours were terrified of me and threatened to call the Aurors many times, so it was safer for me to stay indoors."

"Aww…what kind of an Auror would arrest a kid?" Tonks mentioned, irrititably.

"It wasn't very nice. I remember my father used to spend a lot of time with his plants, and sometimes my mother would go out and join him. It was their favourite romantic spot, and I used to watch them from indoors and wish it could be a family spot, just like your garden is."

Remus seemed a little saddened by this memory, and Tonks decided he was probably in need of cheering up.

"You can share my garden…" she offered.

"No, no." Remus said, although smiling appreciatively. "This is a Tonks family garden."

"I'm serious." Tonks said. "Here," she picked up a handful of freshly mown grass, "have some grass!"

"Oh, you want a grass fight?"

"That's right." Tonks said, grinning at him.

"You realise you chose a tricky opponent."

"Whatever. I have more experience."

"We'll see about that."

And so Tonks, and Remus, a grown man and woman, happily threw grass at each other in the sunshine.


	6. A Visit

A/N: Sigh...angst. Don't worry, there isn't going to be much.

"_Where are the bones on that one  
What if the cure is worse than the disease  
Serve me up some pretty, pretty people  
Serve me up somebody I can believe  
Don't feel sorry for me  
I hate that look on your face  
You say just let go  
You say come back home  
I say I'm just fallen from grace  
I'm naked in a hotel room  
My station comin' in loud and clear  
I'm making out with my one true love  
I'm making this hotel room disappear"_

Remus Lupin was _not _happy. He couldn't think of any other place he least wanted to be, except with the werewolves. But he was here, and there was nothing he could do about it, so he ought to take it like a man.

"Do you want the Strawberry shampoo, or the Mint?"

Remus thought. He liked strawberries, but Tonks would take the mickey if she visited, so he decided on mint.

Having your hair washed was quite nice, if you allowed yourself to forget why you couldn't wash it yourself. Remus was hopelessly weak. He had been hurt badly during the full moon, and apparently eating raw meat hadn't done him any good either. It didn't affect the more wolfish werewolves, because they were used to it, but his own stomach was too adapted to cooked food. It had been a sign of his wizard background, but after some sickness he was usually fine.

He hadn't wanted to go to hospital, but it was no use. The pain was too much and he didn't want to go through it. It was a sign of weakness, but at least he was safe and comfortable, which was a relief after living in squalor.

He supposed one of the main reasons he hated hospital was because it brought back horrible memories. When he was a child, he was virtually under house arrest, and his only trips out were to the hospital. Any experience that made you wish you were locked in your home for weeks on end instead was not a pleasant one.

It was late now, and the nurse had made his hair look quite nice, but that was not very satisfying. He knew he shouldn't sulk, but he wished Nymphadora would visit him.He felt a bit immature for wanting her warm embrace, her laughter and her kind words. It was like being ill at school and wishing it was Mama looking after him instead of Madam Pomfrey. What if she didn't want to visit him? Did she even know what state he was in?

He didn't have to worry for much longer. She arrived a little past ten, when he was starting to feel very tired.

She stood quite far away from him and looked at him. He knew he must look very weak, and he didn't need a mirror to tell him that it was only his hair that was in a presentable state at the moment. He blinked at her with sore eyes and weakly raised a hand to wave. He smiled, but her eyes were sad.

"Don't worry." he murmured.

"I'm not." she lied. "I just hate seeing you like this."

"It's the way I am."

"Of course it isn't. The real you is happy and bright-eyed and…oh, Remus, I've been so worried."

"There's no need to be. I'll be out soon."

"I know that now."

She approached him, the sadness not leaving her violet eyes. He was beginning to feel annoyed by her sympathy. He wasn't a child anymore, and he didn't feel like one either.

"Please come back."

"I can't, I'm on a mission."

"Dumbledore would understand."

"I've got nowhere to live anymore…"

"Live with me…" she suggested, and he shook his head. She seemed hurt, and he knew he had insulted her. She loved him, and she wanted him to be with her, to share her home and her food… he wanted her too, but he needed to satisfy Dumbledore. Twenty years of lying could not be repaid easily. He was half certain he had been forgiven, but Remus could not forgive himself yet. Especially now all there was to compensate for it was his own feeble memories.

Being in hospital, Remus decided as Tonks took his hand in hers, robbed you of your dignity. You were not the same person there as you were outside. In a way, you were freer, but in another way, you were trapped in whatever ailed you. He felt terrible; he was in pain, he was tired, he had a horrible place to return to, and he was turning her away again.

"I love you." she told him. "Please come back."

"I can't…" he told her. "I need you to understand that."

"I do, but that doesn't mean I agree." she said firmly. She leaned forward to kiss him, and he pulled his face away.

She turned away from him. He reached for her, but she was understanding now. Not completely, of course, because if she understood completely she would know how much he loved her, but the look on her face told him she didn't. He loved that face, but she had to leave him, and he had to leave her.

Remus didn't want to be awake any more after she walked away, and he wanted to be in hospital even less. Knowing there was no solution, he rested his head on the pillow, and stared at the ceiling until sleep overcame him.


	7. Italian Food and Doughnuts?

**A/N: Kerichi** suggested that I place an angst warning to the readers beforehand by advising a chocolate supply. I'm sorry to disappoint you, angst-afocionados, but there shall be no angst this chapter, merely silly lovey-dovey fluff. For this, I would recommend marshmallows. Twisty ones if you can find them.

_Foreign_

It was a beautiful evening. They were sat outside in a secluded spot among the lush, green plants. The sun was setting outside, but the nightlife was just getting started. Inside, they could hear a guitar being played, and a few people singing.

They didn't plan to join in the karaoke…they didn't know any of their pop songs, after all. They had come to experience the famous pasta and pizza, and they really did. They had shared a large Quattro Formaggio, with pepperoni on top, because that was her favourite thing. They had accompanied it with a pasta dish by the side which had carbonara sauce and mozzarella cheese over it. It was a delicious meal, but the best part was the pudding.

He naturally had the chocolate gelato, while she chose to have a pineapple sorbet. The pineapple had been cut in half and hollowed out, and she was eating the sorbet out of that rather than a traditional bowl. They talked and laughed, and listened to the music, and they suddenly realised that they had finished long ago, and there was a bill to pay. It was expensive, but it didn't really matter. They were on holiday after all, and they meant to treat themselves.

After the awkward transaction, they weren't sure what to do next.

"Fancy a walk along the pier?" she suggested.

"OK." He said. "And after that…the pub?"

"What, the King's Arms?"

"Yes."

"Sounds good to me." she smiled.

And with that, Nymphadora Tonks and Remus Lupin got up, and bade their goodbyes to Tony's Authentic Italian Restaurant.

* * *

He came back in at about half past six, having been gone for quite a long time. Exasperatedly, he presented her with her goods and sat heavily on the bed beside her.

"Do _not_ tell me it's gone away." he breathed.

"It hasn't." she assured him with a smile, handing him a polystyrene cup of coffee. He took it gratefully, and took a swig from it immediately.

She stared at him, curiously. "Doesn't that…burn your throat?"

"No." he told her, his eyes watering. "I'm fine."

She giggled, and tucked in to her doughnut. He was happy to see her so satisfied, but it was still very unreasonable of her to send him out at such an early time in the morning.

"It took me ages to find a shop open that sold espresso and doughnuts at six o'clock in the morning, you know." he told her.

"You do it because you love me…"

"Of course I do." he said. "Why _else_ would I bother? As long as this baby doesn't turn out to be a caffeine addict, I think I can sleep soundly now."

She laughed. "I promise I won't have any more cravings at ridiculous hours of the day, which in your opinion is anything between ten in the morning and five in the afternoon."

"That's what you said the last time."

"I know…I won't do it again."

"Good, because I won't be getting up and going and getting things for you again."

Five minutes later, when they were both under the covers and finishing their coffees before trying to go back to sleep in the winter's early darkness, she said;

"I blantantly am going to have another craving at an unreasonable hour, you know."

"And I'm obviously going to go and get it for you, at an unreasonable hour."

"I love you, you know. You do so much for me."

"I love you too, Nymphadora…no matter what you force me to do."


	8. Sleepers at the Train Station

A/N: Forgive this daft take on the prompt. It's very serious, but I'm not.

_I've got a flask inside my pocket_

_We can share it on the train_

_And if you promise to stay conscious_

_I'll try to do the same_

_Yeah, we might die from medication_

_But we sure killed the pain_

_But what was normal in the evening_

_By the morning seems insane_

_And I'm not sure what the trouble was_

_That started all of this_

_The reasons all have run away_

_But the feeling never did_

_It's not something I would recommend_

_But it is one way to live_

_Cause what is simple in the moonlight_

_In the morning never is_

_- "Lua" by Bright Eyes_

Kingsley Shacklebolt was shaken out of a daydream by the thud of a cup of tea on the table. Molly looked at him concernedly.

"I thought you could do with another one."

"Yes. Thank you." he told her, vaguely, his thoughts still on the previous night.

"So it all went well?" Arthur asked him.

"Yes. All according to plan, everyone did what they were supposed to and it ran like clockwork. That's why we're all so tired now. Except for Mad-Eye, of course. He's off in town right now."

"I should have told him to get some bread!" Molly reprimanded herself.

"Anyway," Kingsley continued. "He's very concerned. We've got two people missing, you see."

"Who?" Everyone in the room looked at Kingsley concernedly.

"Remus and Tonks."

There was a pause, after which Ginny said;

"I know this might sound stupid, but…maybe they, like, went home?"

"We were supposed to report back here." Kingsley explained, and Ginny rolled her eyes. "Of course it's tedious, and no one is terribly bothered about it except Mad-Eye, which is why he's gone chasing after them."

"I suppose he thinks they've been captured by Death Eaters." Bill said. Normally, the subject wouldn't be spoken of so lightly, but the possibility was speculated incorrectly so many times that being serious about it just got depressing.

"Almost certainly. I wouldn't know for sure, I wasn't awake at four o'clock this morning." Kingsley replied. Molly turned away from the stove to look at him.

"You don't suppose they have…"

"No, Molly. Tonks and Remus can defend themselves remarkably well."

Before there could be any more discussion on the subject, the kitchen door swung open, and Mad-Eye Moody swaggered in.

"Ahoy there, captain." Fred and George saluted.

"None of that." May-Eye told them, crossly. "Black coffee, please, Molly." He sat down at the table heavily, an annoyed expression on his face.

"Did you find them?" Kingsley asked.

"Yes, I did." Mad-Eye said. "I still can't believe their irresponsibility. Someone could have snuck up to them and stolen their wands, or dragged them away, or any number of things. They could have at least put a Disillusionment Charm on themselves."

"So where were they? What were they doing, if I may ask?"

_The previous night _

_It was approaching midnight, and the train still hadn't arrived. Nymphadora Tonks was very, very tired. She couldn't wait to be back at the little house she shared with Remus…_

"_Oh, God, we have to report back to the Burrow, remember?" she nudged the man next to her, who was also beginning to droop with fatigue._

"_Do we absolutely have to? On pain of life or death?"_

"_We do have to, but not on life or death."_

"_Let's not do it then." he said. She smiled at him._

"_I thought you were the sensible one out of the two of us."_

"_Yes, but…I'm tired."_

"_Me too. And cold." _

_Without saying a word, he removed his cloak and stretched it so it partly covered the two of them. She felt the warmth very quickly._

"_Hey, are you sure this isn't a duvet?"_

_There came a noise from him that sounded like a moan and a grumble. Perhaps it was a snore, she wouldn't have been surprised._

"_Don't talk about sleep-related things." he said. "Beds and the like. It'll only make me more tired than what I already am."_

_The train station was a horrible place at night. It was cold, and eerily quiet. From a distance you could hear the crackling of a wireless that some people were crowded around. Unless the train got a move on, they would be there all night. _

_Tonks was so, so tired, she didn't care what happened any more, as long as she got some sleep. Remus's body was very warm, as it almost always was, and she felt her head nodding._

"_Nym" Remus spoke to her, "You're falling asleep against me."_

"_You're very comfortable." She yawned._

"_Shall I wake you up when the train comes?"_

"_If you can be bothered." _

"_I…can't. Mind if I fall asleep too?" _

_She smiled sweetly at him before moving her head closer into the curve of his neck and closing her eyes. "We can dream together." she told him._

"So they slept overnight at the train station."

"That's right. The conductor found them in the morning and thought they were a couple of drunks. They couldn't remember where they were or what they were supposed to be doing, either, so his suspicions probably seemed right."

"_Are _they drunk?" Harry asked, incapable of imagining Remus and Tonks intoxicated. Well, Remus anyway.

"No, just foolish. What were they thinking!"

When Mad-Eye had taken his black coffee upstairs, the remaining Order members looked at each other, and burst out laughing.

Noticing that Mad-Eye had left, Remus and Tonks walked in, looking rather sheepish.

"That was very daft of you." Charlie pointed out to Tonks.

"What was?" Tonks said, blearily. "Oh, yeah…dunno what happened."

"We were tired and we fell asleep." Remus reminded her, also sounding extremely sleepy.

"That's right…it's what you do!" Tonks said, matter-of-factly.

"Mad-Eye's right, they really can't remember it." Kingsley smirked.

"I suppose it seemed like a good idea at the time, you two?" Arthur asked them. Remus and Tonks just stared at him, blankly.

"Mmm…" Tonks began.

"…hmmm." finished Remus.

"Have some coffee, dears." Molly insisted, flicking her wand at the kettle.


	9. Pants

_Pants_

Remus had never been terribly enthusiastic about fancy dress. It was probably due to a bad childhood memory of his eccentric Aunt Bessie's fancy dress wedding reception. Of course, Remus's father, who was even more eccentric than his sister, thought it'd be funny to dress Remus as a pineapple. His cousins had never let the incident rest.

So he was opting for a more normal costume tonight for the Order's fancy dress Halloween party, lovingly organised by Hestia Jones and Emmeline Vance. Halloween was an unhappy time for Remus and Sirius, and not just because of the costumes, and this was why they had agreed not to go too over-the-top.

The costume had been quite simple. All he had needed to do was borrow the uniform from one of his Auror friends, who kept it as a rather stupid disguise. It was stupid in the way that it would definitely stick out on an ordinary day, but for a party it was perfect for someone who didn't really want to be at the heart and soul of the event.

Remus had fully changed into his costume as a sailor, and was now leaning against the wall between Sirius's bedroom and Nymphadora Tonks's. He didn't know what either of them were going as and tried to suppress ideas of their costumes from his mind. Sirius always chose something that was beyond Remus's small imagination, and Nymphadora…well, Remus immediately terminated his thoughts when he found himself wondering if she would go as an air hostess.

Before his mind could turn once again to thoughts of whether and how much she liked him, Sirius's door swung open. Remus had no idea what he was supposed to be dressed as. He looked rather normal…just a little exaggerated. He was dressed in some very old clothes.

"Padfoot, what are you supposed to be, a house elf?"

Sirius frowned, confusedly, as if he expected Remus to instantly know what he was supposed to be. His hand went to his forehead a second later.

"Damnit! I've forgotten the finishing touch!"

He dashed back in, and then emerged shortly afterwards with shiny silver threads in his hair. Though it wasn't very accurate, it occurred to Remus what, or who, Sirius was trying to portray.

"Do you like it, Moony?"

"I would just like to say I do have better taste in clothing than that." Remus said, looking at the get-up with mild disdain.

"Back to your old sarky self, eh? I must be making you happy." Sirius pointed out, correctly. Remus smiled at him.

"Thank you for forgetting my facial scars, Sirius."

"Oh, d…I mean, not at all, Remus."

It was Sirius's turn to look Remus up and down.

"Well done, mate. Every woman loves a man in a uniform."

"I am not hoping to attract women, Sirius."

"Of course not, Moony. I completely understand; you're hoping to attract a _woman_. Singular. Namely, Nymphadora Tonks."

"I…Padfoot! You know perfectly well that vibrant young women like Nymphadora Tonks are not interested in stuffy, boring old men like me."

"If you're old, then I'm old, and I am NOT old, Remus Lupin."

Remus sighed, and looked over towards Tonks's door.

"If you think she's not interested in you, Remus, you're in for a surprise tonight." Sirius said, quietly, shaking his head from side to side.

Remus's ears pricked up at this statement. He turned back to Sirius, a little too quickly.

"You're keen!" his old friend laughed. "I'm not telling you what she's wearing, but I will tell you that she is _not_ going as an air hostess, you pervert."

"I don't know what you're talking about, Sirius. But I do know that the party has already started downstairs, as I can smell the salty snacks Hestia has laid out. Tonks is taking a very long time."

"Go and knock on her door."

"No! Goodness me! What if she's…shaving her legs or something?"

"It's not like you're going in there, Remus."

Remus rolled his eyes and reluctantly stepped up to Tonks's door. Incredibly gently, he tapped it. Even he couldn't hear that, so he tapped a little louder.

And the door creaked open a little. Tonks turned around to look, and Remus quickly hid himself from her view. He could see, however, that she was wearing a very long, shiny red cape with a hood. And underneath that cape were some black, lacy stocking with matching…

"Oh my God Sirius. Look what you've done. You've made me blush and tremble for the second time in my life."

"And this time it wasn't by showing you photographs of air hostesses."

Remus felt terrible. He really felt like a dirty old man now…especially since, he had to admit, he hadn't seen curves like that for many years and was very pleased to be reconciled.

"You can see her pants, can't you?"

Remus did not dignify that with a reply.

"What colour are they, then?"

"Black…oh, dear God, Padfoot!"

Remus marched over to Sirius to give him what for, when Tonks's voice carolled from behind him.

"Wotcher, lads. What are you arguing about now?"

"Nothing, Tonks." Remus said, fully aware that he was fully blushing and getting more ashamed by the second. Sirius, too, was red in the face. With laughter.

"Good. Shall we go downstairs and get jiggy with it, then?"

She began to make her way down the steps, her long satin cape trailing behind her.

"Oh, and by the way, Remus, your costume is very…fetching. I do like a man in a uniform."

Sirius winked at Remus, who, despite being thoroughly abashed, could feel the corners of his mouth slowly rising as he went towards the party.


	10. Angsty McAngst

HAPPY EASTER, readers!

It was a rather obvious statement, but things really did look different from above. Tonks and Remus were entertaining themselves one afternoon by watching people in Muggle London go by from the window of their room at the Leaky Cauldron.

"Muggles are interesting, aren't they?" Tonks said to her partner.

"No, they're not." he said.

"You don't think so?"

"No…at least, not when you look at them. You look at a Muggle boy wearing jeans and a T-shirt, and a wizard boy wearing the same, and there's no difference. So really, in terms of appearance, Muggles are just wizards with a different sense of fashion."

Tonks didn't know how to reply to that. He was right, as usual. But Muggles were still fascinating, just because of the way they, well, were. They had a whole different culture, different slang, different fashions, different food…they were another world.

"I remember you used to say to me," she said "Last year, after Sirius died and we were both about as low as you can get, that you wished you could go to a different world and live there instead. Well, the Muggle world is a different world, so surely if that's what you really wanted, you could just immerse yourself in there. I know that makes me sound simple, but if what you want is right in front of you, why can't you…"

"I did go to a different world, Tonks. I went to live with the werewolves."

"It's not a different world." she said.

"You don't know, you weren't there." Remus told her, quietly, and she decided not to speak further on the subject. Remus hated talking about his time underground, and she wasn't about to pressure him until he was ready.

But apparently, he was.

"I was an outcast there." he told her. "I thought I would fit in, them being my own species, but I was wrong. I got the feeling I didn't belong anywhere. I was too wolfish for the wizard world and too wizard for the wolves. It makes sense when you consider that a werewolf is literally half-man, half-wolf, but that doesn't make it any less painful."

"I realised then that the wizarding world, though it has its flaws, is my home. But that made things even worse, because if I didn't belong in my own home, where on earth did I belong?"

He shot Tonks a desperate look, a rare display of raw emotion that lasted for about a second before he turned his eyes to the window again. Gently, she took his hand, just as she had before they travelled to the funeral of someone who had given Remus his place in the wizarding world.

"You belong with me." she whispered. "We can walk together through the streets of London, and while we may be outcasts up close…from a distance, we'll blend in."

She indicated the blurry Muggles, and the smile showed in his eyes again.

* * *

Dearest Nymphadora,

I know I promised I'd write but I haven't been able to. Times are hard out here, and though I've been here for a long time I still can't get used to it. I have no doubt that you're reading this and shaking your head at me for my foolish decision, and I'm almost certain that you're right.

I hoped that I could do well with this mission. Don't you think I was ideal for it? No, I know you don't, because in your opinion I should be with you and the rest, and mentoring Harry while I'm at it. But the truth is that I can't get through to anyone. I am so lonely here.

I do miss you, and believe me, I wish more than anything that I could stay with you and love you. I do love you, but you deserve the love of a better man. And I'm not worthy of your love. I thought I was bad back then when we were together, but if you were to see me now, I only hope you could understand the reason why I'm doing this to you.

I am so sorry, Nymphadora. I've made a foolish mistake leaving you and I want to go home and be with you. I wish we could go back to our past again instead of living in this horrible little world of the present. I wish I hadn't gone on this mission, it's not anywhere near what I wanted it to be, and so the excuse for leaving you alone and heartbroken is dissolved.

I've always wanted to love you, Nymphadora, but I prioritised the mission and now I'm paying for my mistake. Even though I am alone literally, I would probably be alone even if I was surrounded by friends, because I don't have you.

I wish I had never left you.

I wish we could put this behind us, or turn back the clock.

Even so, I want you to know that I love you.

Remus


	11. More Chocolates

_A/N:_ I want to apologise for the confusion last chapter...there were two seperate stories, but I understand that that wasn't very clear. I'm very sorry, and I promise to work on my editing!

_Delicious_

It had been her birthday a few days ago, and Tonks had been lucky enough to receive a box of chocolates.

Now, in her opinion, one of life's most simple and beautiful pleasureswas having chocolates in the house. Even when you're not eating them, it's so satisfying to know that they're there, and if you ever want the delicious taste of chocolate in your mouth, you can have it.

And this was definitely one of those times. Tonks had been at work all day and was not in the best of moods. She had to deal with a wizard today who had taken it upon himself to rid the world of people with fringes. It hadn't taken them that long to find him, and he was safely locked in a hospital ward now. He had been quite scary, though. She needed something to counteract the effect.

But the chocolates…were gone.

"Remus Lupin!"

Her partner came into the kitchen, looking very calm and collected.

"Yes, sweetheart?"

"You…ate…MY chocolates! Emphasis on the MY."

"I did no such thing, Nym."

"Oh, of course. You know what? You could have at least shared them! There were ten left!"

"Nine, actually."

"Oh, the guilty conscience surfaces."

"Nym, I…assure you, I don't know where those chocolates have gone." He expressed, emphasising his innocence with every gesture. Of course…

"Liar. You're a liar and I'm going to get my Veritaserum out."

"Don't you keep that at work?"

Tonks cringed inwardly. "Yes, I do. Because I didn't think I'd need it here!" She stormed out of the kitchen, and Remus followed her to plead his case further.

"Perry! Perry! Perry!"

"Shut up, Ron."

"You don't think we've caused a domestic, do you?"

"If they get divorced, it's Ginny's fault."

"Ron!"

"Well, it is."

"Actually, if we'd all agreed to have a quarter of one each like I said, we wouldn't be in this mess. So technically it's all of our faults."

"We wouldn't have taken them off the windowsill if it weren't for Ginny."

"Yeah, but…"

"For goodness' sake, give me another one of those Nutty Fudge ones."


	12. A Tribute

_Walk_

It was very late to be walking through a shopping area, but it was a beautiful time of day. The sun was setting as they passed through the barrier, and when they entered the area was practically deserted. It wasn't eerie, though, like it had been during the war. It was…tranquil.

"I still expect a crowd to come marching up from over there." Tonks told Remus as they walked up the middle of the road, pointing to the horizon.

He laughed and linked his arm in hers. "I prefer it when it's quiet. You never get the feel of some places until you see them when they're deserted."

"Some places are just downright creepy when they're quiet. Like the Burrow."

"When has the Burrow ever been quiet?"

They were talking and laughing in this manner about nothing of real significance, when they came to a stretch of pavement that was unlike the others.

Tonks moved away from Remus and knelt down beside the stones. She was staring at them intently, despite having seen them many times since they were laid.

"I can't get over this, you know, Remus."

"It is a true honour, I agree." he said, also looking in their direction.

Tonks traced her fingers over the silver plated writing on one of the stones.

"Kingsley Shacklebolt." she read.

"I know him!" Remus exclaimed, and Tonks laughed.

"Alastor Moody…Hestia Jones, Molly Weasley, Arthur Weasley, Weasley, Weasley, Weasley…" she hopped on a little, not quite standing up. "Ron Weasley, Hermione Granger, HARRY POTTER."

"Harry Potter?"

"Yeah…he's famous, apparently."

Tonks wandered on, and Remus watched her poring over them. He couldn't understand how she found them quite so fascinating after such a long time.

"James Potter…Lily Potter…Sirius Black…"

Remus decided to join Tonks from a few metres away, after all, it was a sentimental moment for the both of them.

"Remus Lupin and Nymphadora Tonks" she read out, finally standing.

"A wonderful way to honour us, wasn't it? Rather original, too."

"It is original, isn't it? I might have liked a tree though, to be honest. A paving stone isn't all that flattering."

They both smirked, and looked at each other. Quietly, she took his hand, and they looked down at the paving stones honouring themselves and their friends. As they thanked fate again that they were alive, they hoped that those who had not been so lucky were as happy as they were, wherever they might be.


	13. Meeting the Family

Ten thirty, and Remus and Tonks were finally going to bed. Tonks had been wanting to go upstairs for hours now, but, of course, she did what a good guest does and socialised with her hosts. And now, lovely as they were, she was glad to be getting away from them and getting in to the snuggly warm bed in the cottage's master bedroom.

It truly was a magnificent bed. Remus's family didn't have a lot of money, but this bed was fit for a king, in Tonks's opinion. Maybe she was too used to the ruddy thing she slept in at home…the mattress was lumpy and it gave her backache. The blankets were too thin, and it was very cold on winter's nights like these.

But now, she and Remus were about to indulge in some home comforts.

He emerged from the bathroom, the soft yellow light making him look all the more adorable to Tonks. Hesitantly, he climbed into the bed next to her. She slipped her arm around his waist and felt up his back, and she couldn't help noticing how tense he was.

"Something wrong?"

"No, nothing." he said, his eyes staring at the ceiling.

"Come on…" she persuaded him, continuing to massage his back. He hesitated, then spoke in a hoarse sort of voice.

"This is my mum and dad's bed, Tonks."

"Only when we're not staying here." she reminded him.

"All the same…it's a bit of a turn-off."

"In what way? It's clean…I think." she plucked at the duvet.

"But…" he struggled with the words. "I was conceived in this bed…"

"Oh, Remus! Don't…!"

"I can't help it!"

"You can help saying it out loud!" she grumbled. Mr and Mrs Lupin were lovely people and she liked them a lot, but…ugh. She did not want to think of her possible parents-in-law in that way.

"Well, now you've ruined the mood for yourself, I may as well got to sleep." she told him, turning away.

"I'll get over it in a minute…" he said. She heard a strange noise and wondered if he was hitting himself in the head. She felt like doing the same thing at the moment.

"There. I've recovered."

"Oh, OK." she snapped, grumpily. But she softened when she felt his fingers in her hair.

"Remus…you really can push my buttons."

"Mmm-hmm…"

She began to lean forwards, when the door creaked. They both gasped and sat straight up in bed, just in time for it to open.

"Knock knock!" Remus's sister, who was a bit younger than Tonks, wandering in. "I was bored on my own in my room, so I thought I'd have a chat with you two. It's been ages since I've seen you."

"Yes, a whole ten minutes." Tonks muttered under her breath.

"So…I never asked you…what are your favourite pizza toppings?"

It seemed like Cossette would go on, quite literally, forever. There were at least a million things that she had "never asked". After half an hour of this,Tonks began to wonder when she would be asked what her favourite trilobite was, or did she like tomato puree, or what were her thoughts on Timpani drumming.

In the end, Cossette remembered that the radio was doing a 101 Greatest Guitar Riffs, and she was going to go and listen to it in her room.

"Do you want to come?"

"No." Remus and Tonks both said, instantly.

"Bit tired, eh? See you in the morning…"

She wandered out of the room, and they breathed a sigh of relief as they slowly went back under their covers.

"Are you still in the mood?" Tonks asked Remus, concernedly.

"Absence makes the heart grow fonder." he replied.

Suddenly, there was a WHOOSH and a THWAP and a…

"TAKE THAT!"

Tonks nearly jumped out of her skin.

"Remus…I believe the Three Musketeers have moved into the bedroom opposite."

"Oh, no, that's just Fergal."

"Fergal?"

"My parents adopted him. His birth parents decided they didn't want to raise a…child like him. I notice he still likes to pretend he's Aragorn."

"Does Aragorn ever say 'Take that!'?"

"I don't know. Maybe."

"Who the ruddy hell is Aragorn, anyway?"

"No idea. Some sort of superhero, I suppose."

There came more battle sounds from Fergal. They were quite disturbing, actually, being that they came from a child's imagination. At least, that was what Tonks was assuming. Remus was laughing hysterically at Fergal's behaviour, whereas Tonks was slightly worried. Especially when he started chanting in some strange language.

It was getting late, and Tonks decided to make it clear to Remus that Fergal was annoying her. Remus smiled and went over to Fergal's bedroom. Tonks could hear them through the wall.

"Fergal?"

"Hello, Remus. Do you like Lord of the Rings?"

"Do I like what? Listen, Fergal, I'm sure your game is very fun, but can't you…dream about Aragorn instead?"

"Allright then, I'll go to sleep now."

"Good boy…wait, Fergal?"

"Yes, Remus?"

"Aren't you going to sleep…in your bed?"

"No, I like the wardrobe better."

"But…"

"I can go to Narnia in my dream like this."

"Narnia? Oh…goodnight, Fergal."

"Goodnight, Remus."

Remus wandered in a moment later, an exasperated smile on his face.

"That is a very strange child, Remus."

"I know. Make sure your hair's short in the morning."

"Why?"

"Because if it isn't, it'll be short anyway when Fergal's finished with it."

Tonks suddenly felt a little sorry for the boy.

"He can cut my hair if he wants."

"It's best if he doesn't, really…he likes to collect the hair afterwards."

"What does he do with it?"

"That's what my parents are worried about."

They sat in silence for a few moments, until Tonks tiredly decided to snuggle up to Remus.

"Are you sure we won't be heard by the little one next door?"

"Yes…he's away with his friend Narnia at the moment."

"Okey-dokey…" Tonks smiled at her partner, who promptly kissed her.

Tonks was enjoying having her neck kissed when suddenly he pulled away from her, his eyes full of concern.

"Don't move." he said.

She froze, and he moved closer towards her.

"Remus, this isn't very sexy."

"I know it isn't. There's a grasshopper in your hair."

Terrified, she kept incredibly still as he pulled it from her hair. He gently took it in his hands…he was so kind to animals.

"Throw it out the window right now." she demanded.

But Remus seemed to have no intention. He was moving it from hand to hand, and letting it crawl up his arm.

"I love insects." he remarked cheerfully.

"Throw it out the window this second, or I'll go to sleep!" she yelled.

In the end, Tonks went to sleep, feeling very frustrated.


	14. Late

**A/N:** The Diverse Adventures are back! They have been copied and pasted from rtchallenge, but they really are mine. I can't prove it properly, but they really are. I couldn't bear to leave Adventures alone, I miss R/T. Also, I want to just pimp my Marauders fic **Now We Are Sixth Years. **If you could give that a go, I'd really appreciate it. It means a lot to me. Also, this is based on a true story. it happened to me, except I was in full winter gear at the time.

_Late_

It was late May, and the most loyal members of the Order were based permanently at Headquarters, waiting for the faintest sign of a battle. They had a mission in the early morning, and each member was to be checked by Mad-Eye Moody to see if they were ready and able to go, and to keep organised.  
Remus and Tonks had been allowed to share a bedroom with reluctance from others, but neither of them were in the mood for the kind of activities a couple might do in a double bed. They had only endeavoured to have it so that they could feel each others' warmth during the night, and see each other's faces first thing in the morning.

They also shared an alarm clock. It woke them up an hour before they were to leave Headquarters, giving them plenty of time to get ready and have a hearty breakfast. They relied on the clock to be on time, because Tonks's timekeeping was terrible, and Remus was a very deep sleeper who would probably sleep long into the morning if it weren't for the contraption.

The alarm went off, as usual, at 6 o'clock in the morning. Tonks's violet eyes opened almost instantly, and she looked at the time and rolled over on her side.  
"Rebus" she nudged her sleeping partner, "Wake up…"  
There came a muffled whine that wasn't unlike an unhappy dog. Remus's head, which was firmly pushed into the pillow, shook and snuggled down a bit more.  
"Come on, Rebus. Wakey wakey. Got get up and get ready."  
Remus's head lifted slightly.  
"Your voice sounds nice when your nose is bunged up and you're half asleep." he said, dreamily.  
"Yours does too." she smiled. "Now, come on. Times ticking away, got to get dressed."  
Remus's eyes looked towards the window.  
"'S still dark outside."  
It was, which was very unusual for May. But that was England; weather so unpredictable and rubbish that it was the laughing stock of most other countries. Except Scotland, of course.

"Know wot? Is the Deaf Eaters. Der spells make lots of clouds an things."  
"But it seems really…"  
"Rebus, we ged dressed now."

Remus and Tonks got into several layers of clothing. Remus tried to ignore the long socks that Tonks was silkily pulling onto her legs, while Tonks tried to ignore the sleeve that was about to fall off Remus's robe.  
After they were dressed, they had to wait for Mad-Eye Moody to come and check on them. It was an annoying procedure, but they'd been through it a few times now.  
"Still really dark."  
"De clouds aren't gonna go way quick. Ly."

Mad-Eye was taking his time. It was very out of character. Missions were run with the precision of military operations, which they probably were. He was unlikely to have slept in…unless someone had put sleeping potion in his hip flask, and even if they had, there was his seconds-in-command for rousing lethargic Order members- Molly Weasley and Hermione Granger.

"Surely Molly would come to fetch us."  
"Yeah…baybe she fetch everyone else, and we last."  
"It doesn't take…half an hour to wake everyone up."  
"If dere like you, it dub." Tonks responded lightly, but she was concerned. What had happened to their elite scheduling? Had something odd happened to Headquarters? Was absolutely everyone ignored their alarm clocks (human and mechanical)? She almost dreaded going outside, in case everyone had been kidnapped or something. Paranoid thoughts, she knew, but that's what you get from hanging around Mad-Eye Moody.

"Well…dere isn'd much we can do. We go alone, baybe, but dey'd have us in two seconds. On be ober hand, we lie stay here and waid."  
Remus laughed at Tonks's voice, and turned to face her. He looked deep into her eyes, and put his hand under her chin.

"You'll ged my cold."  
"Never mind. Your germs are probably beautiful, too."  
"Rebus…Mad-Eye be here soon. We should nod snob, cause rebember wad habben last time we got caught?"  
Remus nodded, not taking his eyes off of her. He had beautiful eyes, and he looked so sleepy and pale, as well as having stubble from not shaving.

"Stuff it. Led's shag."  
"No, Nym…we'd have to rip off all our clothes."  
"Well, yeah."  
"And then we'd have to put them back on again."  
"I dow, Rebus."  
"And it's quarter to now. How are we going to manage to make love and put three layers of protective clothing on by seven? Let's go and have breakfast."

He got up and walked towards the door, but Tonks remained sat on the bed.  
"Are you coming?" he asked.  
"Rebus…whad if…"  
"Don't be paranoid, dear. There's nothing to worry about."

Following him through, she was glad to find HQ was still good old HQ…but really dark.  
"Lumos." they said, and they made their way towards the kitchen with the lights of their wand. There was nothing there, no sound except for the ticking of the clock.  
Tonks moved her wand onto it.

"Half pas fibe." she read, in utter shock. "Someone must have messed with our clock."  
"We've been Weasley'd." Remus declared, solemnly.  
"I don'd belibe it…" she said. "And we've god do be awake in half hour, so we can't go back do bed…"  
"Are you thinking what I'm thinking?"  
"Yes. Led's shag."  
"No…let's wake up Fred and George."


	15. A Family Conversation

**A/N: **I solemnly swear, on my Cliffie Anonymous club membership, that I am a fluffy(brained), happy writer and shall always remain so. I'm also addicted to AU and children!fic. Finally, I solemnly swear that I am up to good. My mischeif is managed.

"_The supreme happiness in life is the conviction that we are loved -- loved for ourselves, or rather, loved in spite of ourselves."  
_  
It was a cold winters' night, and Remus Lupin and Nymphadora Tonks were curled up on their sofa while music played on the wireless. 

"You know, sometimes I wish we had a piano, like the one at Grimmauld Place." Tonks said. "We could all gather round it and sing."  
"What, like that time we got drunk?" Remus spoke quietly.  
"Exactly like that…I bet you can sing even better when you're sober."  
"You won't catch me singing again, Nym…" Remus laughed.  
"Oh, but yours and Sirius's rendition of _There's No One Quite Like Grandma_ was so funny…"  
"You mean, Sirius's, mine _and your_ rendition."  
"I joined in?"  
"You really, really did."  
"Oh, Merlin…" she laughed, and put her hand to her face. Remus laughed too, remembering the expression on her face as she sang.

From a distance away, the door swung open and their daughter came wandering into the room.  
"Oh, Sephy, I thought you'd gone to bed." Remus said, sounding surprised.  
"Do you really think she'd go to bed if we didn't tell her to?" Tonks responded.  
"Daddy!" Persephone clambered onto the sofa between her parents. "Daddy, make Edwin talk."  
She handed Remus her beloved stuffed wolf, which had been given to her for her second birthday by her grown-up friends, Harry, Ron and Hermione. Why his name was 'Edwin' was a total mystery to Remus and Tonks, especially when it had come from the mouth of a toddler embracing her new toy.

Remus picked up Edwin and rested him over his arm.  
"Hello, Sephy." Remus, or rather Edwin, growled. "My name is Edwin."  
Sephy burst into giggles, and tried with difficulty to think of something to say.  
"Edwin, what's your favourite thing to do?" Tonks asked.  
"Well…" Remus replied in his soft, growly Edwin voice, "I like going swim…"  
"Don't give her ideas." Tonks whispered, indicating the pensive Sephy. Edwin was one of the few toys that had never been in her bathtub.  
"I like dancing." Remus said, making Edwin move to the music. Sephy shrieked with laughter.  
"Edwin! Edwin, do you like having breakfast?" she asked, amid giggles.  
Tonks and Remus both shook their heads and laughed quietly at the strange question.  
"Oh, yes, Sephy! I do like eating breakfast, but only when you're there because you give me some of your cereal…"  
"Remus…" Tonks muttered softly again, thinking of the number of times they had to clean dried milk off of Edwin's plush muzzle.  
"Those two grown-ups that live with you eat very boring cereal. And sometimes your mummy doesn't eat breakfast at all!"  
"That's naughty." Sephy had a very wide grin on her face at the thought.  
"I know, very naughty. I don't see why she would want to miss having breakfast with us, do you?"  
"Mummy has to go to work in the morning." Sephy informed Edwin.  
"Really? What does your mummy do?" Remus was flawless at doing a wolfish voice, as well as a smile to accompany it that only Tonks noticed.  
"She catches bad guys!"  
"Oh, that's good. I wouldn't like to meet any bad guys, would you, Sephy?"  
"NO!"  
"Your mummy can catch them all, can't she?"  
"Yeah! My mummy's really cool!"  
"Do you love your mummy, Sephy?" Remus, or Edwin, asked the little girl with a sly glance and a smile at her mother.

Sephy thought for a moment, and Tonks was a little bit scared she would say "No" or "What is love?"  
"Yes." Sephy said. "I love my mummy because she's cool and she's got funny hair, and she lets me have sugar on my cereal, and she paints with me and I like painting."  
Remus smiled, and for a second, forgot to nod Edwin's head in agreement.

"Do you love your daddy too, Sephy?" Tonks asked, running her fingers through her daughter's long, brown hair.  
"Yes, because my daddy's really nice and he makes good chips and he does funny things and he tells me stories about Harry Potter. Harry Potter's cool!"

And so they were on to Harry Potter, which is where all of Sephy's conversations with Edwin ended up. Remus supported Edwin on his arm while Sephy gushed over Harry Potter's adventures, which she had heard many, many times and would never grow tired of, and he looked at Tonks with a smile. She smiled back, and they turned to look at Sephy, who was ignoring them and looking at Edwin while she spoke. She was their daughter, and she loved them for the exact reasons they wanted her to love them. And they loved everything about her, and hoped the happiness between them would never fade away.

**A/N: I hope that was a good antidote, and that Kerichi doesn't mind me mentioning Remus's wolfish smile, which, naturally, belongs to her. That is all folks, but if the challenge comes up again and I've got time to do it, I will. So to you I say au revoir. Never goodbye.**


End file.
